The delegation of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, led by the Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Tetyana Berezhna, participated in the Informal Meeting of European Union Ministers of Culture and Media, held on November 3–4 in Copenhagen under the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, on the theme “Democratic Resilience through Culture and Media”.
The meeting provided a platform for strengthening Ukraine’s strategic partnership with the European Union in the field of culture. Ukraine is steadily integrating its cultural policy into the European context, enhancing international support for the restoration of its heritage, and establishing sustainable mechanisms for cooperation to develop culture as a foundation of a democratic society.
For the first time on the international stage, Ukraine presented the operational framework of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund (UCHF) — a multi-donor platform established to mobilize international and national resources for the protection, restoration, and development of cultural heritage.
The Fund’s mission is to preserve culture as the foundation of identity, democracy, and European belonging. “The first partners of the UCHF are Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom, which have announced support for projects to restore Ukrainian cultural heritage totaling over €3 million. Denmark is investing 10 million DKK (€1.3 million), the Netherlands €1 million, Poland €500,000, and the United Kingdom £200,000. I am grateful to our partners for supporting Ukraine and working together to preserve our cultural heritage,” said Tetiana Berezhna.
The Deputy Prime Minister held a series of meetings with international partners, including EU for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt, UK Minister for the Creative Industries, Media and Arts Ian Murray, Bulgarian Minister of Culture Marian Bachev, ALIPH Director Valérie Freland, Secretary of State and Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Culture Karin Bachmann, Director of the National Museum of Denmark Rane Willerslev, Minister-President of the Federation Wallonia (Belgium) Elizabeth Degryse, ARTE Vice President Bruno Patino, representatives of the Danish Cultural Institute, and others. Tetyana Berezhna and the Ukrainian delegation also visited the Royal Danish Opera House.
Agreements reached included joint cultural projects, strengthened protection of cultural heritage, and the development of partnerships.
Additionally, following the Copenhagen meeting, Ukraine joined the Declaration on the Role of Culture and Media as a Pillar of Democracy. Ukrainian director and writer Iryna Tsilyk took part in one of the public discussions. She spoke about the losses Ukrainian culture is experiencing due to the war and emphasized the importance of supporting Ukrainian artists. She also highlighted the need to develop Ukrainian studies programs at European universities, promote translations of Ukrainian literature, and foster joint art projects that help the world better understand contemporary Ukraine.
During the event, an exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian art was held by the Spilne Art team (founded by Nataliia Tkachenko), featuring sculptures by artist Mariia Kulykovska. They symbolize the strength, resilience, and beauty of Ukrainian culture even in times of hardship. The project was made possible with the support of Ukrainian businesses, including Ajax Systems and MHP.
In Copenhagen, Tetyana Berezhna also met with the Ukrainian community, thanking them for their active engagement, support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and efforts to preserve national culture abroad.
“Wherever Ukrainians are, we are united in our determination to preserve Ukraine. You help the world see us as strong and unbreakable”, she emphasized.
The Copenhagen event marked an important step in strengthening European solidarity in the cultural sphere and establishing long-term mechanisms for supporting Ukraine’s heritage.
